Baba Abdul Ali Mazari – A Shia Hazara but a Global Father

A never tiring majestic personality, audacious explorer, a brave warrior, a revolutionist and consistent Leader, a baronial individual, a spiritual Jihadist, a ray of hope for the innocents and oppressed and the one who held the Islamic flag of revolutionary period in Afghanistan; Hujjut-ul-Islam Shaheed Abdul Ali Mazari (ra) – My words fall short of introducing the most loved and remembered Leader in the history of Afghanistan who spent his life in constant struggling for the rights of oppressed people. He is accepted as the father of Hazara nation;Hazaras love this personality deep down to the extent that he is famous by the name ‘Baba Mazari (ra).’

Baba Mazari is the proud son of Haji Khudadad and was born in the suburbs of ‘Nanwai’ area,a village called ‘Chahar Kant’, where there exists a place called ‘Balkh’ near ‘Esta’ province of Afghanistan ,in 1946.

Baba received his early education from a Madrassa at Chahar Kant where he initiated with mastering in Persian and Arabic Literature. The thirst for his religious curiosity developed at this very preceding age of gaining religious education at Chahar Kant madrassa.

Slowly, the love for religious knowing rooted firmer and its attachment started flowing into his blood.
As time passed by, Baba Mazari was then fully engrossed in learning and exploring the vast and soothing knowledge. During this journey he confronted with different learned religious personalities out of whom the most influencing personality was Ismail Balkhi who was a spiritual and religious, revolutionary, pious and a man of breeding and refinement.

Baba Mazari entered into political field through the advisory counseling of Ismail Balkhi.

Baba quotes his most memorable meeting with this man of valor as:

“It was Ismail Balkhi who captivated my insight towards learning and in absorbing my attention towards Army training activities. He advised me that if you want to become a religious scholar then be a Mujtahid and if you want to become a Political leader then be a President. “

Ismail Balkhi said so and Baba Mazari acted upon, proved that He really was a not-under-command personality.

He served Army from 1968 to 1970 and then after 1971 restarted the journey towards religious education. He received his high professional religious education by Ayatullah Ali Mishkini and other scholars from Hawzia Ilmia Qum. Ayatullah Abul Qasim Khiz Ali, Shaheed Mutahhiri and Ayatullah Jawadi helped Baba Mazari in quenching his thirst of Shiasm.

Baba Mazari showed sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality by travelling through Afghanistan and Iran continiously so that a united, strong and one Islamic organization may take shape.

In 1990, consequently his efforts bore fruit and all Shia Hazaras were gathered under one banner named as ‘Hizb-e-Wahdat Islami.’

Consistency flowed in his veins, Baba Mazari, then gathered all Hazaras of the World at Bamyan and was elected as Leader of Hizb-e-Wahdat Islami in 1993. This organization then shifted to the East of Afghanistan wich enjoyed a central position for the Shias of Afghanistan.

Baba Mazari belonged to Hazara tribe but his thoughts; mission (saving humanity) makes him a Global Leader. He moved to rise for humanity which does not restrict him to a particular tribe or people; He is the Father of the oppressed globally.

In 1995, Taliban (who are known for their sheepish, vicious and as conspirators) invited Baba Mazari along his seven faithful friends for fraudulent meeting to solve the current situation then, and thus, succeeding in their hypocritical and fallacious plots, Baba Mazari got martyred.

It was 13 March, 1995 when the candles were blown off, lights deemed, darkness prevailed in Afghanistan, the dark void gnawed inside his beloveds, Shias and Hazaras war hero collapsed leaving his loved one’s sobbing.

Baba Mazari is no more! NO! He is alive, alive in the hearts of his sincere followers. He is present within every Hazara, Shia and in the hearts of all those who are sincere to humanity in the World. His thoughts roam around the minds of the devotees.

All the Shias and Hazaras reflect his light in the midst of darkness; only if we avoid becoming the victims of the plots of the hypocrites:

Only, if we decide to be a sincere devotee to our religion and ethnicity so that we may take up his mission in its true sense.

Only, if we oust out the breakers from among us.

And only if we understand that Hazaragi is our identity and Shiagi is our religion; the two shall be bonded and separating any of the two from each other will result in collapsing the untiring efforts of Baba Mazari.

Baba Mazari , being a Shia, took Hazargi and Shiagi alongside and touched the pinnacle of success. Baba Mazari applied Islamic (Shia Islam) teachings at his home. He made sure Islamic way of Life to be practiced at his Home, and it is the reason, his only daughter Zainab Mazari in addressing public by her appearance showed and conveyed the message of proper Hijab to be exercised by all sisters and daughters.

Let us today vow that we will never let Baba Mazari’s efforts go in vain and we will save our nation from the conspirators; the only way to which is by holding tight the religion and Hazaragi side by side.